Amor and More

by Radclyffe

  She had no way to contact the Dreammakers now that her powers were all gone, and so she just had to hope it was a normal bad dream and not one brought to her by Shae herself. Shae, who shouldn’t have been able to bring her bad dreams, since Dreammakers who turned to the dark side were always stripped of their powers and kept in a prison on the Nightmaremakers’ land. Who better to watch over Shae than those who knew her best, after all?

  Lilith had been certain that the evil Nightmaremaker was powerless now, so the dreams were probably just…cold feet? No, she didn’t think she had those…more like happy ones, ones that wanted to dance whenever she thought about the ceremony to occur that Saturday. She decided it was worth dancing over, and she did a little jig in the shower. Isa laughed and kissed her on the cheek, and the last bits of the nightmare were washed down the drain.

  Over a breakfast of waffles and fruit, Isa typed away on her laptop, making sure the last few tables had been organized in the hall they’d rented. It wasn’t a huge group, but about fifty people would be attending, so it wasn’t going to be tiny, either.

  Isa’s dad still hadn’t responded to her email inviting him, but she’d tried not to expect him to. Months ago, when Isa had told him about her relationship with Lilith, he’d just hung up the phone. She hadn’t heard from him since, and the emails she’d sent went unanswered.

  After breakfast that morning, Isa went out to pick up her dress from the tailor’s. They’d both bought vintage gowns at their favorite consignment shop, and while Isa knew that Lilith’s gown was white, just like hers, she had no idea what it looked like, as Lilith had insisted they not see each other in their dresses before the ceremony occurred.

  “Isn’t that a silly straight people thing?” Isa had asked her. Lilith had started having her nightmares by then, though, and she didn’t want the slightest chance of a jinx that could ruin their most important day.

  Well, actually, it was their second most important day. The first was the morning that Lilith had been sent to earth, Lilith thought, as she left their apartment to go for a walk. The day was sunny and warm, the sun’s heat a delight upon Lilith’s bare arms and legs. She hoped that Saturday’s weather would be just as nice. They were having the ceremony outdoors in the local botanical garden’s largest grass field, its lush green turf surrounded by beautiful, sweet-smelling roses. Lilith knew they smelled sweet because she’d insisted that she and Isa smell each and every one of them while they were at the gardens, and Isa had taken her hand and agreed to with a smile and a laugh.

  There were roses right outside their apartment building, and Lilith stopped to smell those as well, her thoughts still on the special event to come. As she reached the front door of the café, she made a decision: she would not allow those stupid nightmares to ruin the rest of her day—or that Saturday, either!

  Later that afternoon, she and Isa picked up the cake, tiered and chocolate with pink-and-white icing. Lilith had put on a little weight in the human world, but Isa had assured her she still looked terrific, her reassuring words followed by a very aerobic romp on the kitchen floor. Lilith was thankful for the extra padding then, because hardwood floors and naked bodies weren’t that good a pairing.

  Over dinner, Lilith told Isa she was through with having her bad dreams cause her any trouble, and she didn’t want them to cause any more worries for Isa, either. Later that night, Lilith drifted as they cuddled in front of the TV and eventually fell asleep against Isa’s shoulder. As she dreamed, she was back in the same room—the one with Shae hanging from the wall. Shae voiced her usual threats, but this time they fell on uncaring ears.

  “I don’t care what you have to say,” Lilith told the evil woman, “I won’t let you ruin the ceremony.”

  “Oh, I won’t be the one who ruins it. No, it will be someone else. I’ve sent him dreams to tell him what to do on your ‘big day.’” Those last words came out in a voice full of bitterness and spite.

  “I don’t care,” Lilith told her again, crossing her arms and staring up at her with equal parts pride and defiance. “Nothing can ruin it because Isa will be there, and she’s all I need to have the day be perfect and wonderful.”

  “You’ll see…”

  The dream shimmered for a moment, as if it were a mirage, and Lilith heard the words, “No, Lilith, I won’t let it happen—I promise. I will fix everything.” They were spoken by a very familiar voice.

  “Aileen? How…is that really you?”

  And then Lilith woke up. Had that been her friend Aileen, her fellow Dreammaker in the human world? Did that mean the dream was real? If it did, there was much that had to be explained.

  The phone began to ring, and Isa hurried to answer. “Hello?”

  Lilith couldn’t make out the voice on the other end, but could tell it was a man. Whoever it was, his call had surprised Isa a fair bit. Her brow furrowed as she listened to what the person on the other end was saying.

  “You’re coming? Really?” Isa mouthed the words “my dad” to Lilith. “Okay, we’ll see you there…what change—I mean, never mind, I’m just really happy that you’re coming. You have no idea how happy I am. Really.” She paused for a few minutes, then grinned at Lilith, giving her a thumbs-up. “A dream? Oh yeah, I totally know how much those can affect your life.”

  She said good-bye and hung up the phone. “I just…I can’t believe it! He told me that he’d changed his mind about us…he’d been having nightmares for weeks, telling him to come here and ruin our ceremony, bring a Bible and tell us how evil we were and all…and then, just a few minutes ago, he had another one, with a woman named Aileen in it. That name sound familiar?”

  Lilith nodded instantly. “Yes, of course! I just had a dream as well. Call Aileen and Iriana, and tell them we simply must see them. But in private. We’ll bring them apple pie from the diner to make up for the interruption. Our dear ex-Dreammaker friend has a lot of explaining to do, my darling!”

  They picked up pies at Minnie’s and arrived at their friend’s loft a little after ten. Lilith practically dragged Isa by her hand as they hurried to the door. She didn’t wait a single second once there, knocking on the door and tapping her foot on the floor, looking like the very picture of impatience.

  “Yes?” came a voice behind the door a few moments later. Aileen’s.

  “You know who it is, so just open the door!” Lilith heard a laugh coming from behind it as soon as she said this.

  The door swung open, and there stood a sleepy-looking Aileen, dressed in a set of purple satin pajamas, her graying red hair sleep-tousled. She appeared to only have just woken up, and maybe she had. There were no mirrors to travel through in this world, and perhaps entering people’s dreams required more as a result. Something else to add to her growing list of questions for her friend.

  “Do come in.” Aileen sniffed a few times as the two younger women entered the apartment. “Is that apple pie I smell? I must still be dreaming because I was just thinking of Minnie’s pies before you arrived, and that’s just too crazy a coincidence.”

  “Not as crazy as dreaming about you and then hearing about some woman with your name being in someone else’s dreams!” Lilith eyed her friend up and down. It wasn’t malicious, what Aileen most likely had done, not at all, but it was still…it was still… “How on earth did you do what you did?”

  Aileen led them over to the room’s new, non-paint-spattered couch and took the pie from Lilith. “Honey, hurry up! They’ve brought pie!”

  “Wonderful!” Iriana appeared at the far end of the room. “I’ll get out plates and utensils. Aileen, go right on ahead without me. You know more than I do, anyway.” The pie was passed to Iriana, who looked as elegant as always in a long, silk nightgown that matched her girlfriend’s PJ’s, to take to the kitchen.

  “Well?” Lilith just couldn’t wait any longer. “How did you wind up in my dreams? And in Isa’s dad’s dreams? And all without a mirror?”

  “What do you think, sweetheart?” Aileen called ov
er her shoulder. “Should I tell them? Or just keep it a mystery?”

  “I vote for you telling us,” Isa said, raising up an open hand and waving at Aileen. “I don’t even know as much as Lilith knows, after all!”

  “I suppose I don’t have much of a choice, then. Well, where to begin…” Aileen pulled the wicker rocking chair closer to the couch where Isa and Lilith sat. “Of course, I should begin with the dream I had two nights ago. I was certain it couldn’t possibly have been real, as just like you, Lilith, I was certain I no longer had any connection to the dream world, or the world that used to be ours. But in the dream, Amaya came to me and said she was bestowing me with some of her power in order to save your ceremony. Apparently, one of Shae’s old friends had snuck some magic into the food brought to her each day, and Amaya had discovered this when she happened to peek into Lilith’s dreams.”

  “My dreams?” Lilith gasped. “What was she doing in my dreams?”

  “Amaya was checking in on you two just to make sure the nightmare creature was gone for good. But of course, that was when she saw Shae. To make a long story short, Shae had also been coming to Isa’s father, Warren, in his sleep, trying to force him to come to your commitment ceremony and ruin it. I was sent a bit of power through my dream of Amaya, and I used it to enter your dream and Warren’s dreams. I tried to convince him what a mistake ruining your ceremony would be. Turns out I did a little too good a job.”

  Iriana now brought over her favorite tray, the one which Aileen had brought her in her dreams many years ago. On top were four lapis-colored plates, the pie, and four forks. She doled out generous slices of pie as Aileen continued to tell her story.

  “Now,” Aileen said, around a large mouthful of pie, “he wants to come to the wedding to see his daughter for the first time in years and to make amends with her. I hope that won’t be a problem for you, Isa.”

  “Not…not at all.” Isa took Aileen’s hand and laid a quick kiss upon its top.

  “Hope that didn’t make you jealous, dear?” Aileen teased Iriana with a nudge against her arm.

  “Not at all. I know the dear girl is just happy.”

  “Overjoyed, more like!”

  Lilith thought Isa might start bouncing in her seat. Not a bad thing!

  “You see,” Lilith said, placing her plate on the table and wrapping her arms around Isa, “she’s been trying to contact him for years, trying to get him to let her back into his life. I didn’t know…I didn’t know it would be possible for him to change his mind. You must have quite impressive powers of persuasion, Aileen.”

  “All it took was a few choice words—reminders of his wife and what she would have wanted for him and his daughter. I don’t know if I can promise a complete turnaround of his ways, Isa, just so you’re warned, but I know he will be glad to see you and will at least be civil.”

  Isa ate her last bite of pie and stood, pulling Lilith up from the couch along with her. “I hate to eat and run, ladies, but we have very important plans in just a few hours, and we both need our beauty sleep.”

  “Oh, you have no use for such a silly thing.” Lilith kissed her for a few seconds. “You are far, far too beautiful already.”

  Once they got home, they hurried into bed, but Isa clearly had no plans to go to sleep quite yet. As she was spooning Lilith, she pulled back Lilith’s garnet-red hair and began to suck on her ear, biting down a little when Lilith tensed.

  “Not ready for bed yet, my darling?” Lilith let her voice show she wouldn’t be opposed to some playtime before they slept.

  “Remember,” Isa whispered into her ear, “you said I don’t need any beauty sleep.”

  Lilith laughed at that. “And after all,” she said, turning to face Isa, “you’re always the most beautiful when I’m making love to you.”

  “You really think so?” Isa looked shy for a moment, but then the moment passed, and she kissed Lilith firmly on the neck, sucking away a little as she did.

  “No pre-wedding hickeys, if you please!” Lilith yelped as Isa smacked her on the ass.

  “No more talking, just sex,” Isa mumbled against her collarbone, sinking her teeth in only seconds later.

  Lilith discovered she could gasp in pain and smile at the exact same time. She continued to smile as Isa got out their brand new-nipple clamps, and smiled even wider when Isa said, “I think it’s okay to leave marks where your dress will cover them, don’t you?”

  As the first clamp was attached, Lilith gasped, and then again when the second one was clamped onto her other nipple, and then a third time when Isa gave them a little yank.

  “Just making sure they’re firmly attached,” Isa said. “We can’t have them coming off while I fuck you.”

  They stayed attached as Isa donned their strap-on with the dildo they’d used that morning. The clamps stayed attached when Isa began to insert the dildo; they stayed attached as Isa began to fuck Lilith…and they stayed attached as Lilith came, again and again, her cheeks glowing pink and her lips blood red as she arched her back for the fourth time in a row.

  The next morning, they parted, having planned to arrive at the ceremony separately. The minutes before the ceremony practically flew by, at least for Lilith. She hoped that Isa was as excited as she was.

  When she watched her partner, her long, ivory gown swishing back and forth in the gentle breeze, approach the rose-covered arbor where she stood waiting, the look on Isa’s face made it clear that yes, she was as excited as Lilith—oh, was she ever! Lilith had only seen her that happy one other time—when they’d both woken up in the human world those many months ago. As she took Isa’s hand, her whole being brimmed over with love for this gorgeous woman.

  And then she heard a male voice yell out, “Wahoo!” Turning, she caught sight of a man wearing a rainbow-covered tie sitting back down. She recognized him from a photo in their living room, but she still couldn’t hide her shock, nor could Isa hide her surprise.

  “Is that your dad?”

  Isa was clearly struggling not to giggle, or to blush, as she said, “I guess a tiger can change its stripes after all.”

  “It looks as if he’s changed his to rainbows.”

  Then Isa did laugh, and when Lilith glanced back in the direction of her father, he waved at her, grinning widely and not looking the least bit ashamed to be where he was. Yes, he had changed quite dramatically, and not in a way she would want to complain about.

  The woman officiating cleared her throat and opened the book of poetry she was set to read from for the ceremony. She began to read the words they had chosen together, two months ago, her voice ringing clearly out over the crowd. Lilith barely heard her speak, though. She was looking at Isa all along, completely lost in Isa’s beautiful, love-filled eyes.

  Lambda Literary Award finalist Carsen Taite is on a mission: spin tales with plot lines as interesting as the true but often unbelievable stories she encountered in her career as a criminal defense lawyer. Learn more at www.carsentaite.com.

  This story features characters from The Best Defense.

  Born to Ride

  Carsen Taite

  “If you polish that chrome any harder, you’ll put a hole in it.”

  Skye looked up from her Harley and squinted into the sun. Her best friend, Parker Casey, stood in her driveway, dressed in a sleek suit. A total contrast to her own cargo shorts, tank top, and sweat. She looked down at the torn T-shirt rag in her hand and compared it to the fancy leather briefcase Parker held. They’d first met as fellow cops. Now she was a P.I. and Parker was a lawyer. They still worked on cases together, but she rarely saw Parker in lawyer drag outside of the office. She must’ve come straight from the courthouse.

  Skye’s stomach twisted in panic, and she deflected whatever business Parker had come to discuss by pitching the rag at her. “I could use some help. Take the rear fender and make sure you can see the evil in your eyes when you’re done.”

  Parker shook her head but set her briefcase down, rolled up her s
leeves, picked up the rag, and elbowed in. “You plan on riding in a parade or something?”

  Skye grabbed another rag and went back to work. “Nope. I’m selling her. Got a guy coming by this afternoon to take a look.”

  Parker stopped rubbing. “No way. You’ve had this bike as long as I’ve known you. Does your wife know you’re getting rid of your favorite possession?”

  “It’s not my favorite possession.”

  “Liar.”

  “Shut up, Casey. If you don’t want to help, get lost.” The banter was playful, but Skye meant what she said. She didn’t want to talk about it.

  Parker threw the worn rag back at Skye. “Well, now that you mention it, I didn’t come over to polish the chrome on your ride. We have a hearing scheduled for Thursday. I came by to go over the paperwork. Aimee’s office said she was working from home this morning.”

  Skye’s stomach rolled and she struggled to keep the panic from her voice. “Thursday? Next week?”

  Another voice interrupted Parker’s answer. “What are you two up to?”

  Skye tamped down her anxiety and turned to face her wife. Aimee, like Parker, wore a suit, but they couldn’t have looked more different. Instead of navy wool with hard lines, hers was bright red and showed off sexy curves. Normally, the sight of her wife all dressed up was arousing, but today it only fueled her sense of foreboding. “Hey, babe, did you know attorneys make house calls?”

  “Ours does, anyway.” Aimee gave Parker a big hug. “Parker, why don’t you come inside where my wife will fix you a drink instead of making you baby her favorite possession.” Aimee led them into the house. The moment her back was turned, Parker mouthed “see” and Skye responded by punching her in the arm. The two continued their silent but physical argument until they reached the dining room. When Aimee turned back to them, they froze like two five-year-olds caught in the act.